What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin: New Year's Lucky Scones

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New Year's good-luck foods fascinate me. This time around I am craving sweet edibles that are believed to promise a sweeter life. Sweets in the shape of coins also are symbolic of providing good fortune. So turning a tasty treat for New Year's morning and/or a snack makes sense to me to bring in 2012.

Baking lucky scones takes me back to 1999. Remember the Y2K or Millennium bug crazies? The Year 2000 problem was a time for computer-related data storage potential woes linked to changes of a four-digit year. My computer was being upgraded by a sleep deprived local tech, I was busy stuffing my pantry. I jammed my cupboards with canned soups, cereals, dried fruit, nuts, pasta, tuna, sauces, tea, coffee, and water. I was ready to face the end of the world as we knew it. On New Year's Eve, I turned on the TV, cuddled up with my cat and dog. I was ready to watch each country go down, one by one. Yes, glitches around the globe happened - but we survived.

So, this year, I vow not to squirm and squawk. Making a batch of New Year's sweet scones make me feel like I'm doing my lucky charm part.

Double Chocolate Chip Scones

3 cups white whole wheat flour

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1⁄2 cup European style butter

3 large brown eggs

3⁄4 cup half and half

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips

1-11⁄2 cup dark chocolate chips (60 percent cacao content)

Raw sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and sugar. Add cold, small cubes of butter. Then, stir in eggs and half-and-half. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in chocolate chips. Use a 1⁄3 cup ice cream scoop and place scoops of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Cool. Serve warm. Makes about 20 scones. Serve warm. Slice in half and drizzle with orange blossom honey, cream cheese, butter or a spoonful of strawberry jam.

The sweet and spicy aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate in the cabin still lingers in my mind. The gooey, sweet melted chocolate with the crispy edges (it's the butter effect) of the scones and crunch of sugar are amazing. Also, the uniform shaped scones, thanks to the ice cream scoop, make these wonders handsome for serving to family and friends or freezing and nuking in the microwave for you and yours on a snowy day in January and February. So, will these scones bring good luck come 2012 for you, me, and the world? Time will tell.

Motto: Seize the day. Indulge yourself with sweet scones to make your New Year's Day or any day of the year more rewarding.

- Cal Orey is an accomplished author and journalist. Her books include The Healing Powers series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate and Honey) published by Kensington. Her website is www.calorey.com.